THE "ELIJAH" TO-MORROW.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 108, 7 May 1894, Page 3

THE "ELIJAH" TO-MORROW.

We trusb thab ib it- scarcely necessary to remind tbe public tbab to-morrow evening tha Choral Society give their second per* formanee of " Elijah " in the Choral Hall. And It) ig even more superfluous to remind oqr readers, especially the musical portion of them, of the magnificence of the music to be discoursed. Ib is the work of a supreme master whose fame rests on his choral works perhaps more than on any other of his productions. In all Mendelwobn'e works great force and individuality are exhibibed, bub these qualities are pre*eminently apparent and strongest in hie choral work. His wonderful sympathy wibh bhe human voice is nowhere bobber displayed bhan in bbc four nobablo solo* in «• Elnah," " Hear ye Israel " for soprano, •* 0, Rest in the Lord for contralto, "Then Shall bhe Righteous Shine Forth," for tenor, and *• Is ftot His Word Like a Fire!" for baritone. One great writer haa aaid of these solos that ib would be difficult to find their equal in any work of anobher composer s they are as per* feeb an embodiment In music of the spirib of the words as ib would seem possible to ob- ! tain. Ib is now closo on fifty years since bhe " Elijah " was composed for bhe Birmingham festival, bub the enthusiasm it created on that occasion when performed under bho baton of tho composer himself—an enbhusiasm, which, spreading all over England, infused new life into the choral music of the day, is sbill felb almosb as keenly as over when bho oratorio is well performed. And ear local Socieby, especially since ib has obbainod the services of Mr Gee, has proved bhab ib can perform it well. In our notice of the first performance of "• Elijah " a fortnight ago, wo maintained bhat Mr Gee's voice waa fresher and more vigorous than that of Sanbley as we beard bbc greab English baribone. Some people who had not heard Mr Gee in oratorio were inclined to re. gard our verdict as somewhat exaggerated, bat we are glad to know tbab the consensus of opinion among those wbo heard Mr Gee in "Elijah" and also San tley in tbe same oratorio when that singer was in Auckland, coincides with the opinion which we have expressed. Speaking of tbe production as a whole, no ono who heard tbe two concerts can deny thab bbc second was superior to bhe firsb. Wa look forward to find that the third is an improvement on bhe second. There is no reason why ib should nob be, as bbc chorus and bhe singers musb assuredly have gained by the experience of their lasb concert.